Fuzzy expert system for economic zonation of an ornamental slate deposit

Investigation of deposits for traditional extraction activities (metals and coal) has generally been based on determining grade, or content, of the required material. In order to apply the grade concept to an ornamental rock such as slate, it is first necessary to define the variables that determine both the geotechnical recovery rate for the rock mass — which conditions the size of the extracted blocks – and the aesthetic features of the slate — which define the quality of the slabs as potential roofing material.

For this research, geotechnical and aesthetic data for a slate deposit were collected from 16 continuous core borehole samples. A fuzzy expert system was then developed using this data, defining the rock mass recovery rate and slab quality in accordance with the criteria of a slate expert, producing as a final output a zonation of the deposit in terms of top quality slate, medium quality slate or waste.

A mathematical model based on fuzzy logic was chosen due to the fact that the boundaries between different quality groups in a deposit are not clearly distinguished. Moreover, quality also depends on a company's infrastructures for transformation of the blocks, and also on its commercial strategies.     

Mafic microgranular enclaves from the Xanthi pluton (Northern Greece): An example of mafic-felsic magma interaction

Summary Petrographic, geochemical and isotopic data are reported for the mafic microgranular enclaves occurring in a calc-alkaline Oligocene pluton outcropping near Xanthi town in northern Greece. The intrusion is composed of dominant granodiorites with minor tonalites and quartz diorites. Mafic enclaves occur in large swarms concentrated near the margins of the pluton. They have fine-grained porphyritic textures and contain the same minerals as their granodioritic and tonalitic host rocks (Pl, Qtz, Bt, Hb1, Kfs ± Ap, Zrn, Mt, Spn) but in totally different modal proportions. Chemical compositions range from mafic to intermediate and are characterized by higher abundance of Na₂O) and lower contents of CaO and Sr with respect to an average basaltic magma with a similar SiO₂ content. The initial Sr isotopic ratios, ranging from 0.7061 to 0.7063, are similar to those of the enclosing rocks (0.7062-0.7063). Field evidence, as well as petrographic and geochemical data, suggests that the analyzed enclaves derived from disruption of synplutonic intrusions of cogenetic mafic magma. The Xanthi pluton could represent ascent of a zoned magma body, with a silicic cap (granodiorite, tonalite, quartz diorite) having intruded first followed by the deeper more mafic levels as syn-intrusive dikes.

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Mafische mikrogranulare Enklaven aus dem Xanthi Pluton, Nord-Griechenland: Ein Beispiel von mafisch-felsischer Magma-Wechselwirkung

Zusammenfassung Petrographische, geochemische und Isotopen-Daten für mafische mikrogranulare Enklaven in einem kalk-alkalischen oligozänen Pluton, der in der Nähe der Stadt Xanthi in Nord-Griechenland aufgeschlossen ist, werden präsentiert. Die Intrusion besteht hauptsächlich aus Granodioriten mit untergeordneten Tonaliten und QuarzDioriten. Mafische Enklaven kommen in großen Schwärmen, besonders an den Rändern des Plutons vor. Sie zeigen feinkörnige prophyritische Texturen und enthalten diesselben Minerale wie ihre granodioritischen und tonalitischen Wirtsgesteine (P1, Qtz, Bt, Hb1, Kfs ± Zrn, Mt, Spn), aber in vollkommen verschiedenen modalen Verhältnissen. Chemische Zusammensetzungen schwanken von mafisch bis intermediär und werden durch höhere Gehalte an Na₂O und niedriger Gehalte von CaO und Sr, verglichen mit durchschnittlichem Basaltmagma mit ähnlichem SiO₂-Gehalt, gekennzeichnet. Die Strontium-Initiale schwanken von 0,7061 bis 0,7063, und sind denen der umgebenden Gesteine (0,7062-0,7063) ähnlich. Geländebefunde, wie auch petrographische und chemische Daten, zeigen, daß die analysierten Enklaven auf das Aufbrechen von synplutonischen Intrusionen cogenetischen mafischen Magmas zurückgehen. Der XanthiPluton könnte dem Aufstieg eines zonierten Magmenkörpers zuzuordnen sein, mit einem Si-reichen Dach (Granodiorite, Tonalite, Quarzdiorite), das zuerst intrudiert ist, gefolgt von den tiefer angesiedelten, mehr mafischen Gesteinen als syn-intrusive G:ange.

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With 7 Figures     

Using hydrogeochemical signatures of stream water to assess pathways for rainfall events: towards a predictive model

Thanks to its simple division into agricultural and forestry land use, the Corbeira catchment (Galicia, Spain) is used as a case study to build a predictive model using hydrogeochemical signatures. Stream data acquired under recessional flow conditions over a one year period were obtained from a sampling station near the downstream end of the catchment, and using principal component analysis, it is shown that some of the analytical parameters are covariant, and some are negatively correlated. These findings support inferences about the pathways of rainfall in the catchment. Specific signatures may be associated with the dominant hydrological source, either surface runoff or subsurface waters: additionally, the dominant land use in that part of the catchment, where the flow originated, can also be predicted. The dominant runoff shows a strong covariance between suspended solids (SS) and particulate phosphorus (PP), with a clear negative correlation with pH. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) data are associated with this covariant set when these compounds are available in the soils in question. Dissolved phosphorus, total organic nitrogen and dissolved nitrates are also associated with the same covariant set when the runoff flows through areas of extensive agricultural use. The SS ? PP covariance is less significant at lower flows. Typical base flow regimes show a significant covariance between salinity and pH, with a marked negative correlation with SS ? PP set, confirming the dominance of subsurface waters in the baseflow, as expected. Seasonally divergent DOC ? SS behaviour proves to be a useful tracer for rainfall regimes. The DOC trend shows a sinusoidal annual variation in amplitude, determined by the rainfall regime. As a result, flow from the catchment is dominated by surface water whenever there is synchronicity between the peaks of DOC and SS. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metals discharged during different flow conditions from a mixed agricultural‐forest catchment (NW Spain)

Metal loads were determined from water samples collected under different streamflow conditions (baseflow and storm events) in a rural catchment (NW Spain) during 4 years. A study at annual, seasonal and storm‐event scales was carried out. In all analysed scales, the export order was Fe > Al > Mn > Zn > Cu. A high inter‐annual, seasonal and storm‐event scale variability of metal load was observed. The total metal loads in stream were higher during baseflow conditions than during storm events, which only represented 4% of the duration of the study period and 25% of streamflow. During storm events, both Al and Fe loads accounted 45% of the total load of the study period, whereas Mn, Cu and Zn loads represented 42%, 33% and 24%, respectively. This highlights the role of high flows on metal export. Only four big events exported around 30% of load of each metal transported in events. At all time scales, a prevalence of export of particulate metals over dissolved metals was observed, more pronounced for Al, Fe and Mn than for Cu and Zn. The export of metals in the Corbeira catchment is influenced by runoff and, to a lesser extent, by the rainfall amount. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrological characterization of dammed rivers in the NW Mediterranean region

Water scarcity and climatic variability in the Mediterranean region have traditionally required the construction of dams to guarantee water supply for irrigation, industrial and urban uses and hydropower production. Reservoirs affect the hydrology of the river downstream, but the magnitude and persistence of these effects are still poorly unknown. Understanding the magnitude of these effects is the objective of this paper, in which we analyse the flow regimes of twelve rivers located in the NW Mediterranean region. Different temporal scales (daily, monthly and annual) are used for the analysis and also to estimate flow variables associated with flow magnitude, frequency, duration and variability. It is shown that dams alter the hydrological regime of most of the studied rivers, with special influence on monthly flows and flood magnitude and frequency. The most altered rivers (Muga and Siurana, NE Iberian Peninsula) experience a complete overturn in their flow regime with, for instance, flood reduction reaching up to 76% for the 2‐year flood event. Other rivers showed lower changes in hydrology (e.g. Orb and Têt). Annual runoff showed a pattern of decrease in all the studied rivers (regulated and non‐regulated) indicating that besides dams (i.e. reservoir evaporation), other factors likely affect water yield. A general recovery downstream from dams is also observed at all temporal scales, mainly because of the inflow from tributaries. Although dams have a clear impact on the hydrology of Mediterranean rivers, water withdrawals and diversions for irrigation and other consumptive uses also affected the hydrological patterns. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Life after death: shallow‐water Mediterranean invertebrate communities associated with mammal bones

Invertebrate and microbial marine communities associated with mammal bones are interesting and poorly understood habitats, mainly known from studies on deep‐water whale remains. In order to characterize these communities in the shallow‐water Mediterranean, we present here the results of a pioneering experiment using mammal bones. Minke whale, pig and cow bones were experimentally deployed on three different background communities: rocky substrate, soft‐bottom and a Posidonia oceanica meadow. Bones were deployed for a year at about 20 m depth and collected every 3 months, and the invertebrate fauna colonizing the bones was identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. As expected, mammal bones showed remarkable differences when compared with background communities. Within bones, four different clusters could be identified, primarily on the basis of the polychaete fauna, the most abundant and diverse group in the survey. Clusters A1–A3 corresponded to high to moderately altered successional stages composed by a fauna closer to that of anthropogenically enriched shallow‐water environments. These clusters were characterized by the occurrence of the opportunist polychaetes Ophryotrocha puerilis, Neanthes caudata (Cluster A1), Protodorvillea kefersteini (Cluster A2) and Ophryotrocha alborana (Cluster A3). Cluster B was characterized by the presence of the polychaete Oxydromus pallidus together with typical invertebrate background fauna, which suggests that this community, after a year of deployment, was closer to that found in natural conditions. As opposed to similar shallow‐water studies in other geographic areas, no occurrence of the polychaete Osedax (commonly known as bone‐eating worms) was reported from our experiments. Apart from the study on the invertebrate communities, insights about the population dynamics of three of the most abundant species (O. puerilis, O. alborana, N. caudata) are given as well as remarks on a hypothetical trophic network based on fecal pellet analysis.     

Solar radio pulsating structures during September 9, 2001 at meter wavelength

Pulsating structures recorded at 237 MHz that are associated to decimetric continuum enhancement during the September 9, 2001 solar radio burst are described. We analyzed the radiopolarimetric data recorded at the Trieste Solar Radio System (INAF—Trieste Astronomical Observatory—Basovizza Observing Station) with very high time resolution (1 ms) at metric frequencies. Two different types of pulsations that occur in about 4 minutes at the same frequency are described. The possible mechanisms are analyzed and some parameters of the associated magnetic structure are estimated.     

Predictability of the spring rainfall in Northwestern Iberian Peninsula from sea surfaces temperature of ENSO areas

The influence of sea surface temperature (SST) of the ocean on seasonal rainfall in Northwestern Iberian Peninsula is studied for the period 1951–2006. Seasonal correlations were calculated for all seasons and different lags applied on SST. A test for field-significance considering the properties of finiteness and interdependence of the spatial grid was applied to avoid correlations by chance. The most significant and repetitive correlation is found between SST over Equatorial Pacific and spring rainfall. The correlation is maintained for different lags, and the common area that satisfies the criteria for statistical field significance is coincident with ENSO area. A forecast scheme is developed to predict spring rainfall anomalies based in SST over ENSO area in precedent seasons. An analysis of principal components was also carried out to obtain the main modes of the Pacific Ocean and their influence on spring rainfall in NWIP. This study concludes that for the period 1951–2006 the negative phase of ENSO, “La Niña”, almost always announces dry springs in NW Iberian Peninsula. However, the positive phase of ENSO, “El Niño”, does not anticipate the appearance of wet springs.